My mind's eye
by TheSovereigntyofReality
Summary: Precognition? Immortals? Just another day in the life of Indiana Jones. Set before and during RotLA. Indy/Marion. All characters belong to Lucas and Spielberg.
1. Premonitions

**Chapter 1: Premonitions**

'_If you don't go, I'll send her to a convent!'_

_Indiana Jones whipped around. The look on his face was disbelieving, shocked even._

'_You'll what?' he demanded._

'_I mean it,' Abner told him. 'If you do not leave within 24 hours, then I will send my daughter to a nunnery.'_

'_She couldn't survive like that,' Indy said lowly. 'You'd sentence her to a slow death.'_

'_Don't exaggerate, Henry,' Abner told him. 'Besides, it would be the only way to keep her safe and, as her father, that is my right.'_

'_No, that would be your responsibility,' Indy argued, his voice as tight as a brand new rubber band. 'And you only acknowledge it now. I hope you burn in hell, you son of a bitch.' He turned his back. 'I'll be gone.'_

Marion Ravenwood blinked and the vision faded out. She was in the kitchen again. Realisation dawned on her. What she'd just seen was what had been behind Indiana Jones leaving. She leaned on the sink of fought back tears.

'Oh, God,' she muttered to herself.

She remembered the last time she saw him. He'd snuck up the side of the house. She remembered the sad look in his eyes as he waited for her to open the window. When he got in, he locked her bedroom door and then pulled her into his arms, slowly making love to her. Now she understood. He'd wanted to memorise every part of her before he had to go. He hadn't told her what had happened because he had known how much it would make her hate her father.

Now she hated Abner. Oh, she hated him so much. He'd sent away the best thing that had ever happened to her. Indy had only left because he didn't want her to be miserable. He was right. Life as a nun would be a slow death to her. She didn't even really believe in God. On top of that, the life of a nun would be too oppressive to her. Abner had sent Indy away and she hated him for that. It wasn't healthy to hate your own flesh and blood, but she did.

She looked up as Abner came in.

'What's for dinner?' he asked.

'A rubber glove,' she snapped, grabbing one and throwing it at him as she stormed out of the room.

XXX

Marion lay in her hammock on the back porch. She was wearing the jumper that Indy had brought her. He'd gotten it for her when she'd complained about not having any proper jumpers. Actually, he'd called to England and it'd been sent by one of his immortal friends. Indy had a lot of those. So, technically, he hadn't brought it. He'd sent away for it and given it to her for her seventeenth birthday.

Marion closed her eyes. _A girl with long blonde hair and green eyes walks down a track – the track that leads into her backyard. She has a serious look on her face as she moves. It is like she's thinking about what she should say. _Marion opened her eyes and leaned up. A few minutes passed. Then the girl from the vision came out.

'Wow,' she remarked in a British accent. 'You really are precognitive.'

'Who are you?' Marion asked.

'Penny Hood,' the girl answered. 'Actually it's Lady Fionnghuala of Loxley, but nobody uses that anymore. They haven't for centuries. I actually translated my name. I must say, you wear that jumper well.'

'You're the one that Indy got to make it,' Marion murmured.

'That's right,' Penny said.

'Can you tell him something?' Marion asked.

Penny laughed. 'Let me guess. You want me to tell him that you know what happened and you want him to get you away from Abner as soon as possible?'

'Yeah.'

'Would if I could,' Penny told her, gently. 'I've spent my entire existence fighting people as overbearing as Abner. I love grinding his kind into the dust.' She paused. 'Unfortunately, the supernatural world has orders not to interfere. If we don't obey, this whole dimension could collapse.'

'That's just stupid,' Marion remarked.

'Isn't it just.' Penny laughed. 'But that's the way we have to work.'

'So who gives the orders?' Marion asked.

'Not "who", "what",' Penny corrected her. 'Some call it "the Fates". Some call it "the Powers That Be". Some simply call it "Fate". Others call it "Destiny". You'd know it as "God", same as I did when I was your age. I was sent, primarily, to tell you what's happened to you.'

'So?' Marion asked.

'Precognition,' Penny told her. 'What you're seeing is the future. Rest assured that no matter how long the visions seem to you, they only take a split second to pass.'

'What caused them?' Marion asked, her upbringing making her believe to the idea.

'An emotional burst,' Penny answered. 'It's like a dam burst. They usually come after traumatic revelations or experiences. I had never had one, but I have heard that the rest of the world blocks out so all you're aware of is the pain. Does that sound like something that happened to you?'

Marion nodded. That was exactly what had happened after Indy had left. She'd tried to hate him. It was more natural to hate Abner, strange as that sounded. Penny nodded as if to confirm it to herself.

'Indy, on the other hand, wouldn't have had one,' she said.

'Why not?' Marion asked.

'Because he's a lot more jaded than you seem to be,' Penny explained. 'When people become that jaded, they learn to ignore negative emotions and that decreases the ability to have an emotional burst. Indy went numb instead. Didn't care whether he lived or died. And I know that because several immortals, including me, had to step in to save his life on more than one occasion. He got to sleep by the way of "drink 'til you drop"…'

Another vision assaulted Marion's senses. _A key turned in a lock and the door was pushed open. A guy who looked eighteen with dark hair and light brown eyes walked in. He walked through some rooms and into the living room. Indy was unconscious on the couch. The guy – it must've been Nick – settled him into a more comfortable position. Then he walked out of the room. He returned with a dustpan and brush. He went over to a corner and cleaned up the broken remains of a bottle. _Penny's face came back into focus.

'…as you've probably just seen,' Penny finished. 'You people always do that eye thing when you have a vision.'

'Eye thing?' Marion asked.

'Your eyes widen, ever so slightly, for a second,' Penny told her. 'Not really noticeable if you don't know what to look for.'

XXX

Marion sat in her room, thinking about it. Her Indy had suffered just as much as she had, but he had a different, more destructive way of dealing with it. But he'd be back for her someday. She saw it. _His shadow fell on the wall. She froze, her was heart pounding. Afraid to hope._

'_Hello, Marion.'_

He'd be back. She'd be waiting for him. And when she got him back, she was not letting him go. She'd make sure he knew he was hers and hers alone. It didn't matter what he did in the meantime. He was hers.


	2. Raiders

**Chapter 2: Raiders**

**10 years later**

She'd had the vision several times over the last ten years. Sometimes from a different angle. She knew when he'd be here and she had a plan for it. Except she wasn't standing up, she was sitting down. Abner had realised that Indy was liable to come back and had moved them to Nepal. The vision had just solidified. He was supposed to do that. _The damned moron! _She'd become better at the visions. They still came from the smallest triggers, but she knew how to decipher them now and she took in every detail.

She turned her head as something caught her eye. The distinctive shadow of Indiana Jones was thrown across the floor. She knew what was coming.

'Hello, Marion.'

She stood up, grinning, and turned around. There he was. Just as gorgeous as he'd been ten years ago. She dusted her hands off. She knew he'd been hurt by the split too but she had to make sure it never happened again.

'Indiana Jones.' She laughed. 'You took your sweet time.'

His grin faltered for a minute, allowing Marion to see the confusion. As Penny had said, nobody had told him. They hadn't been allowed to. So Indy was oblivious to the fact that she'd _known _he was going to walk in and she'd known _why_. She knew he'd been nervous about seeing her again. One thing she'd found was that the visions gave her the reasons behind actions.

Indy had been nervous about seeing her again because he knew how just much he'd hurt her. He'd been terrified that the old feelings would resurface and…she could tell they had. Indy walked towards her slowly and she let him. It'd been so long since she'd seen him. He chuckled.

'I'd almost think you knew I was coming,' he said.

'And what if I told you I did?' Marion asked, leaning against the table.

'Then I'd want to know how.' Indy was right in front of her at this point. She noticed his eyes flicker down to her lips and, just to tease him, she licked her lips, as if simply to moisten them. The way his Adam's apple bobbed was the only giveaway that it had any effect. He looked around. 'I need…'

She didn't give him the chance to continue. She knew what he needed, even if he didn't, even if he didn't particularly want it. He'd just given her the opportunity on a plate and she took it. He probably never even saw the punch coming, but he certainly felt it. He did about a thirty degree turn as the impact hit. Then he rubbed his jaw.

'The next time that somebody gives you an ultimatum like Abner did and you decide it's a good idea to take off, you're taking me with you, got that, Jones?' she snapped angrily.

He looked back at her. 'I never meant to hurt you.'

'Well, you did,' she deadpanned.

She turned her back on him, cleaning up the shot glasses. She knew he reached out for her but dropped his hand at the last minute. She heard him sigh behind her.

'Where's Abner?' he asked.

'Dead,' she answered bitterly. 'Serves the bastard right.'

He was looking at her speculatively now. He seemed to realise that telling her he was sorry was pointless. He wasn't sorry and she wasn't sorry. They had both lost all caring for Abner ten years ago. The old bastard's death was barely more than a footnote to them. Indy came and stood beside her. He perched his hands on his hips.

'Well, I need one of the pieces your father collected,' he told her.

'The medallion.' She nodded. 'I know. What do you need it for?'

He hesitated for a second. 'The Nazis discovered Tanis. I've gotta get the Ark before they do.'

A vision flashed before Marion's eyes. _Old men, women and children dropped as a chamber filled with gas, all of them dead. Bodies piled high in carts. Beatings, torture and slave labour. Furniture and household appliances made out of human flesh. Fires burning high and broken glass lying on the streets. _She jumped slightly when Indy's hand landed on her shoulder. It only lasted for a split second, but Indy must've noticed the slight movement of her eyes.

'Are you all right?' he asked.

'Yeah,' she said sharply. 'Fine.'

She hadn't counted on what the Nazis were like. She'd known they were a factor but she hadn't known just how…inhuman they were. She couldn't let it interfere with what she had to do, though. Indy had to work for her this time. Last time she'd practically fallen into his arms, made it so easy for him. This time he wouldn't have it so easy.

'So why should I just give you what you want?' she asked, lacing a double meaning into her words.

'This is why.' He pulled some money out of his pocket. 'Three thousand bucks.'

'Well, that will get me back,' she said. 'But not in style.'

'I can get you another two when we get back to the states,' he stated.

Marion had to suppress a smile when he said "we". He intended to take her with him anyway. She still had a plan to stick to, though. She didn't want to face the Nazis but Abner's flunkies still worked. They watched _the_ _Raven _but they never came into Patan. If it burned and they couldn't find her afterwards, they would think she'd died in the blaze. Indy grabbed her arm and turned her around.

'It's important, Marion,' he told her.

'Oh, I know,' she murmured as she moved closer to him and leaned close, enjoying the sound of his breath catching. 'But do you really think I can be bought, sweetie?'

She wrapped her hand around the money and he easily let it go. She knew how acutely aware he was of her body pressed to his. She slid the money into her pocket as she leaned up and kissed him. His arms wound firmly around her as he deepened the kiss. She suddenly felt hot. She knew it wasn't the temperature outside too. Another vision assaulted her senses. _They were on the bar, him laid over her. Their clothes were half peeled off and she was wrapped around him, arching into him as he thrust into her. More…harder…need…_

She broke the kiss but he slipped his lips down to her neck. Her knees wanted to buckle but she wouldn't allow it. It would be too easy for him. She caught his hands, as they went to try to open her shirt, finally stepping away. She swore she actually heard him whimper when she broke contact.

'You'll actually have to work a hell of a lot harder than that to get back into my pants now, Jones,' she told him with a smile. 'Come back tomorrow.'

'Why?' he asked.

'Because I'm not sure if I can trust you,' she answered. 'Go.'

He got the grin on his face, the one she'd first fallen in love with. Then he leaned forward and kissed her, but only for a moment. Then he brushed her bangs out of her face with an affectionate look.

'I'd like to see your hair down,' he told her. 'Tomorrow.' Then he turned and headed for the door.

'See you tomorrow, Indiana Jones,' she laughed.

He turned as he left, only enough to blow her a kiss. She smiled as she ducked behind the bar. She'd stashed the medallion here. Quickly, she hooked it around her neck and tucked it out of sight. She knew the Nazis would be here any minute.


	3. The bar fight

**Chapter 3: The bar fight**

Indy saw Nick sitting on the hood of the truck he'd brought. He was grinning and swinging his legs. Clearly he knew what had just happened in there.

'She knows what her father did,' Indy stated.

Nick's grin fell. 'Yes, she does.'

'Did you tell her?'

'No. I didn't need to. She's never even met me, but she has seen me.'

Indy scrutinised him. 'She flinched in there, twice. Why?'

'She didn't flinch, Indy.' Nick shook his head and jumped off the hood. 'Flinching implies the whole body. It was just her eyes.'

'What was it?' Indy asked.

'Are you telling me you haven't worked it out?' Nick asked. 'Think about it, Indy. It isn't rocket science – which hasn't even been invented yet. I'd tell you if I could, but no immortal is allowed to say anything or…well, you know the rules.' He looked past Indy. 'And I think you might want to take care of those Nazis.'

XXX

Marion looked up as the Nazis came in. The Nazis _had_ come. Honestly, though, it was only one Nazi and paid thugs. Some people would do anything for money.

'Good evening, _Fraulein_.'

'Bar's closed,' Marion told them.

'We are…not thirsty,' the Nazi said.

'What do you want?' Marion asked, pulling out a cigarette.

She already knew what they wanted. She just needed to stall for a while. Her Indy had seen them come in and he would come back for her.

'The same thing your friend, Dr. Jones, wanted,' the Nazi answered. 'Surely he told you there were other interested parties?'

'Must've slipped his mind,' Marion remarked, lighting the cigarette, mostly for theatrical effect.

'The man is nefarious,' the Nazi remarked, getting in her face and injecting a threat into his next words. 'I hope, for your sake, he has not already acquired it.'

'Why?' she asked. 'Are you willing to offer more?'

'Oh, almost certainly,' the Nazi agreed. 'Do you still have it?'

She took the cigarette out of her mouth and blew smoke into his face. He coughed lightly. She waited until he stopped.

'No,' she said. Then she turned and walked around the bar. 'But I know where it is. Hey, how about a drink for you and your men?'

They all walked around, blocking her exits as the Nazi went over to the fire.

'Your fire is dying here,' the Nazi told her. 'Tell me where it is.'

'Listen, _Herr_ Mac. I don't know what kind of people you're used to dealing with,' – _Actually, I exactly what kind of people you're used to dealing with and I hope Penny kills you for it, very slowly, because you don't deserve any mercy._ – 'but nobody tells me what to do in my place.'

'_Fraulein_ Ravenwood,' the Nazi said, 'let me show you what I am used to.'

He barked out an order in German. Marion tried to duck out of the way, but the thug behind her was too fast, especially for such a big guy. She felt herself hoisted up and thrown across the bar. Then she was grabbed again.

'Take your hands off me!' she yelled. 'Take your lousy hands off!'

Then she saw the fire poker coming at her. Despite knowing that Indy would be there to save her, Marion was terrified. She tried to get away.

'Wait.' She hated the weakness in her own voice. 'Wait a minute. I can be reasonable.'

'That time is past,' the Nazi hissed with a smile.

'You don't need that,' she tried again. 'I'll tell you everything.'

'Yes,' he hissed. 'I know you will.'

It got uncomfortably close before Marion heard the crack of the whip and it was removed. She was twisted around. Indy was standing there, gun and whip out, with a look on his face that she'd never seen in any of her visions. It was more intense than any look he'd ever gotten when someone went and pissed him off.

'Let her go,' he ordered.

Nobody moved. Suddenly another one came in the side door and Indy turned his attention and shot at him, startling the Nazi holding her to let go. She dived away from him and behind the bar. The sound of gunshots rang in her ears and she had to look to make sure Indy wasn't shot. The visions were little comfort to her.

He was fine, for the time being. Only pulling back to reload his gun. _Reload. _These guys would have more ammo than him. They had to be taken out before he ran out of bullets. Indy seemed to have realised this and shot out the fireplace, igniting the table that one of the thugs was using as a cover along with the thug. The idiot jumped up and Indy shot a bullet through his head.

Marion yelped. She'd never seen a man shot through the head before, even in her visions, so it was shocking to see it. She quickly registered, though, that Indy would need help. She grabbed a log, pausing to catch some of the alcohol dripping down in her mouth, and then darted behind the guy that was using the counter for a cover. She smashed the log over his head and he conked out.

She heard a bang and Indy cried out in pain. She froze as some other thug hauled him over and slammed him onto the bar. The Nazi lit it from the other end and a line of fire started making its way to Indy. She looked up at him.

'Whiskey?' he asked.

She looked behind her. There was a bottle of whiskey right there. Marion grabbed it and handed it to him. He took it in his free hand and then swung it back and smashed it over the head of the guy holding him down. The guy recoiled and Indy escaped right before he became a Jones Flambé. Marion tried to catch her breath as she listened to the fight. If she'd been the type to pray, she would've done that. Suddenly she heard a rifle cock.

'Shoot them,' the Nazi said. 'Shoot them both.'

A gun went off and she shot over, looking over the bar. No. Indy was all right. He'd shot the gun. She looked over. Another guy was lining up a shot to kill Indy. She looked around. The guy she'd knocked out before was still unconscious and his gun was there for the taking. She grabbed it and slipped around behind the other guy.

Only problem was now she couldn't see Indy. Nethertheless, when the last thug raised the gun to shoot Indy, she shot the thug first. He dropped dead and, when he saw what she'd done, Indy laughed.

He suddenly seemed to remember that the place was on fire and ran forward. He pulled her to her feet and dragged her out of the tavern. She went more than willingly enough. She would've gone with him even if she didn't have precognition and didn't know what'd happened. They stopped outside the place and looked up at it. For a long minute she stared at the liberating flames, then she felt Indy's hand slide behind her neck.

'You look happy that it's up in flames,' he observed.

'Do I?' she asked softly. 'Guess I've gotta work on my poker face, then.'

'Maybe,' he murmured.

She looked at him. He was staring at her speculatively so she grinned and drew out the medallion. She enjoyed watching Indy's eyes bug. Then he smiled widely at her.

'Or not,' he corrected himself. 'Very few people could be hounded for what they're wearing around their neck and not give the slightest clue that they even have it.'

'If you're good, Jones,' she said, sliding close and pressing a finger to his lips, 'I'll give it to you.'

She made sure he heard a double meaning. Although, she couldn't decide whether she was injecting one or not. He seemed to get it, though, and exhaled heavily through his nose.

'Baby,' he told her in a low, intimate voice, 'define "good".'


	4. Cairo

**Chapter 4: Cairo**

'Cairo!' Sallah pronounced. 'City of the Living! A paradise on Earth!'

Indy smiled as he watched Marion. She'd partially done as she asked. Her hair wasn't completely loose but a little was better than nothing. He'd always enjoyed her hair better when it was hanging around her shoulders. Ten years ago, one of his favourite ways to spend an evening, inevitably under Abner's stony glare, was to sit with Marion and play with her hair.

Since she'd been back with him, she'd been such a tease. She'd reach across him to get what she wanted, making sure her hair brushed his exposed chest every damn time, she'd kiss him and play with his hair. One time he woke up from a nap to find her running her fingers over his features. She even sat in his lap because she didn't feel like sitting in her own seat. Anytime he went to try to kiss her or make a grab at her, though, she'd either skip out of his arms or find some other way to deter him. It was irritating, in a good way.

Indy's attention was drawn as the children all suddenly squealed. There was a small monkey on the table. Sallah's wife, Fayah, walked over to them.

'Why do you forget yourselves?' Then she saw the monkey. 'What is this? Where did this animal come from?'

The monkey rolled around on the table. All the children, and Marion, laughed. Indy didn't mind children – his adoption of Shorty was proof of that, he thought – but small animals were actually more than a bit annoying to him. The monkey spilled a drink.

'Oh, no.' Marion laughed.

Suddenly the monkey jumped onto her shoulders. Indy paused as he saw her eyes widen momentarily. She'd done that twice at _the Raven_ – once while his tongue was down her throat – and both times, it was followed by her doing something. Clearly that meant something was happening. He knew that, whatever it was, it was on the tip of his mind. If he could just put his finger on it.

'Cute,' Marion remarked. 'What an adorable creature.'

'Then it shall be welcome in our house,' Fayah said.

'Oh, no.' Marion laughed. 'You don't have to keep it here just because of me.'

Nethertheless, Fayah and the children went off. Indy and Marion exchanged a glance before Marion followed. Indy sat down at the table with Sallah.

'I knew the Germans would hire you, Sallah,' Indy said. 'You're the best digger in Egypt.'

'My services are entirely inconsequential to them,' Sallah responded. 'They've hired or shanghaied every digger in Cairo. The excavation is enormous. They hire only strong backs and they pay pennies for them.' He paused. 'It is as if the Pharaohs had returned.'

'When did they find the map room?' Indy asked.

'Three days ago,' Sallah answered. 'They have not one brain among them. Except one. He is very clever. He's a French archaeologist.'

Indy paused, a theory occurring to him. He knew a clever French archaeologist. Even if he didn't particularly like him. 'What's his name?'

'Oh, they call him Bellosh,' Sallah answered.

Indy laughed. Sallah clearly didn't actually care much about the bastard. But to hear the name pronounced incorrectly was just funny.

'Belloq,' Indy corrected. 'Belloq.'

'The Germans have a great advantage over us,' Sallah told him. 'They are near to discovering the Well of Souls.'

'Well,' Indy pulled the medallion, which Marion had finally given him, out of his pocket, 'they're not going to find it without this. Who can tell us about these markings?'

He handed it over to the Arab. Sallah looked it over.

'Perhaps a man I know can help us,' he said. Then he set it aside. 'Indy, there's something that troubles me.'

'What is it?' Indy had his suspicions.

'The Ark,' Sallah answered. 'If it is there at Tanis, then it is something Man was not meant to disturb. Death has always surrounded it. It is not of this earth.'

XXX

'Do we need the monkey, huh?' Indy asked.

_That's a good question. _Marion thought as she pulled the monkey off of Indy's shoulders. He had the medallion – either him or Sallah – and the monkey was trained to get the medallion. She couldn't have it crawling all over his shoulders. She was reasonably sure he'd know if it went to pick his pocket, but she didn't want to be taking any chances. She wasn't sure she should tell him because she wanted him to figure out that she was now precognitive on his own, so she said, 'I'm surprised at you, Jones. Talking that way about our baby. She's got your looks too.'

'And your brains!' he retorted.

She knew it was a stab at her because he was irritated, both with the monkey and sexually. She knew the latter was her fault. She was still half-expecting him to grab her at any minute and drive into her until she couldn't see straight. The fact that he still hadn't done it was a testament to his willpower, which Abner had believed he didn't have any of.

'I noticed that.' She took it as a compliment. 'She's a smart little thing. Smart.'

Of course she was smart. She was a bloody monkey. Suddenly the monkey jumped off her shoulder and ran away. She watched it go like a hyperactive child and another vision assaulted her senses. _She was lying in a warm bed with a strong arm wrapped around her waist. A small body shifted beside her and she opened her eyes. A two-year-old boy, that bore an unmistakable resemblance to Indiana Jones, was curled up, asleep and clutching a teddy bear, between her and Indy. She looked at Indy. He was fast asleep too, with a slight smile on his face. Marion looked down where their left hands were intertwined and saw their wedding rings glinting in the moonlight that was coming through the window._ Indiana Jones was going to marry her. She was going to have his son. Marion grinned, feeling positively giddy. She never would have seen that one coming if not for the visions.

'She'll be all right,' Indy said from behind her. 'Have a date.'

She took the date and, grinning, impulsively leaned up and kissed him before moving ahead. Indy followed her. She felt him brush his fingers along her hair and teasingly turned her head, pulling her hair from his touch. He groaned.

'That's what annoys me,' he told her. 'How come you get to touch me or kiss me whenever you feel like it, but you won't let me return the favour. It's driving me up the wall.'

She laughed. 'That's the idea, Jones.' She spat out a pip. 'How much more of it do you think you can take?'

'Oh?' Indy challenged. 'So this is all just a test, then, is it, Marion? You want to see how much I can take before I lose it?'

'Sure,' Marion agreed easily. 'Why not? You made me wait ten years.'

'"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned",' Indy quoted. 'That English bastard knew what he was talking about.'

'Better believe it, buster,' she said, pausing to look at a rug. 'Oh, by the way, we're about to be attacked.'


	5. The fight

**Chapter 5: The fight**

No sooner had Marion said that then Indy saw the assassins run into the courtyard. He dropped everything that was in his hands as Marion ducked. Okay, so she'd known they were going to be attacked. _How did she know that? It's not like she can…ah, Jones, you stupid, blind idiot!_

_To quote a friend of mine: give the man a medal! _Nick's voice rang through his head as Indy shoved the one trying to kill him into the bastard that was trying to skewer Marion. He yanked her out of the way. Nick was, as the Sovereign, capable of throwing his thoughts into other peoples' heads and picking up all thoughts that other people had. Indy was long-since used to fighting and conversing with Nick Balinger at the same time.

_What caused it? _Indy asked silently as he pulled Marion back. _She didn't have this ten years ago._

_No, she didn't._

'Get out of here, Marion!' he barked at her.

He normally wouldn't yell at her like this. But the fact that she had known this was coming and she hadn't told him scared the crap out of him. She'd still placed herself in harm's way. And she'd known what she was doing too. What had she gone and done that for?

_Customise because people don't want to ask for help._ Nick answered him cryptically.

_Leave it to me to get a know-it-all, mentally advanced friend who can't give a straight answer so he gives riddles better than the ones they write on tomb walls instead. _Indy spotted the guy coming behind her.

'Duck!' He pushed her down and punched the hired gun out.

Then he twisted around. Punching out another one and forcing his elbow into the gut of the next one. He turned around to find a third one had a sword and jumped out of the way before he could be skewered. The guy behind him got skewered instead.

He had to get Marion out of here. Everything was falling into place now. She'd known he'd walk through her door and she'd know how he'd do it. She knew those Nazis would come looking for the medallion. That was why she'd hung it around her neck. How often had she put herself in danger because of this? Had Abner known about it? If so, had the bastard even cared?

Indy grabbed Marion and pulled her out of the crowd. He had to get her somewhere safe. As there was nowhere safe, he'd have to get her somewhere and become the wall between her and these Arabs. The cheering and egging crowds weren't doing anything useful anyhow, except making a lot of noise.

He swung her around, up and onto a load of hay that was on the back of a horse-drawn wagon. Twisting around, he pulled out his whip. Cracking it several times to beat off the Arabs. She obviously didn't care about her own preservation, so he'd have to do it for her. Then the horse at the front of the cart nickered and moved.

XXX

Marion considered, as she jumped out of the cart, that maybe Indy could stand thinking she was dead. She knew it was something she had to do, no matter how much it scared her.

She'd seen Penny more than a few times over the past ten years. Penny had seemed to know everything there was to know about men and women and their relationships. A point she seemed to feel the need to stress was that _'women need to take care of their men because they sure as hell can't do it themselves'_. Men liked to think they could look after themselves just fine, but they only could to a point. For most men, that was dinner on the table and they needed help remembering to do things or tying their neck ties. Marion knew Indy didn't have trouble getting dinner on the table or remembering things. He hated ties, but he could get them on. His trouble lay with his emotions. He was a bit slow in these things and that was where he needed the help.

So Marion jumped in the basket and sat there. When that damn monkey started screeching, she didn't make a single remark or try to shut it up. It was trained to do this, after all, and Indy needed to go through this. No matter how much it hurt.

XXX

Indy could believe that Marion would get kidnapped. And she'd probably known it was going to happen too. _You'd think someone with precognition would be a little more careful._ Damn basket. If she hopped in one of those, couldn't she have hopped in one that didn't look quite so common? It was giving him hell! – and a lot of angry yells. That didn't matter, though. What mattered was Marion. He wasn't going to let these Nazi bastards take her away from him.

He stopped and turned, as everyone seemed to give someone else a wide berth. He expected to see someone with a big gun. _No_. It was someone with a big sword. And obviously trained if the way he was swinging that thing around was any indication. Indy huffed in irritation. The damned moron was wasting his precious time with all that flamboyance. So Indy simply pulled out his gun and shot him dead. He turned around, ignoring the fuss that his action had caused and started looking for Marion again. He had to find her.

XXX

_She's dead._ Indy couldn't feel much except the numbing pain. Marion was dead by a bullet from his own gun. He banged his hand against the bottle. Nothing seemed to work. He couldn't numb the pain. He even let the monkey run over his shoulders.

He looked up as some white-suited Nancy-boys came over. Apparently, their boss wanted a word with him and – _wouldn't you know it?_ – it was Belloq.

'Strange company you keep now, Dr. Jones,' he remarked.


	6. Walking in Despair

**Chapter 6: Walking in despair**

'I did not bring the girl, Dr. Jones,' Belloq told him. 'Do not worry. These people will care nothing of the business of white men. Sit down.'

To Belloq's surprise, Jones did. He considered that they may have actually broken Jones in this little stunt. He'd known that Jones had an affair with the Ravenwood girl ten years ago but he hadn't realised that there were any feelings behind it. Belloq would never admit it to anyone, but he feared Jones.

The man had more than just incredible luck, but also incredible skill. His heart, though, was too good. That was one reason why Belloq had taken the girl. Another was that she was very beautiful and she had seemed to be enjoying Jones's company very much. Belloq had little doubt that she was enjoying it even more behind closed doors. Now he just had to bring Jones down.

'We're not that different after all, you know,' Belloq told him. 'It would only take a nudge to push you out of the light and make you like me. I am a shadowy reflection of you.'

'Now you're getting nasty,' Jones stated.

Belloq grinned 'You know it's true. How nice.' He held up a watch. 'Look at this. It's worthless. I paid ten dollars for it off a street vendor. But I take it, I bury it in the sand for a thousand years, it becomes priceless. Like the Ark.'

'What about your boss?' Jones asked. '_Dur Führer. _I thought he was waiting to take possession.'

'In good time.' Belloq set the watch down. 'When I am finished with it. Jones, do you realise what the Ark is? It's a radio! It's a transmitter for talking to God!'

Jones finally looked at him but there was such a strange look on his face. It took Belloq a moment to place it. Jones didn't care anymore. He didn't care if he lived or died; he didn't care about the Ark. All that he cared about was the fact that, as far as he knew, his woman was gone and there was no way to get her back. Jones would gladly die for no reason at all right now.

'You wanna talk to God?' Jones demanded. 'Well, I got nothing better to do. Let's both go!'

He would've killed him, too, if not for the numerous body guards Belloq had brought with him. And they would have killed Jones if not for the many children that streamed in to come and get him. Jones was exceedingly lucky to have such a loyal friend that would send in his children to stop his death.

XXX

An improvised medallion,' Indy muttered as he paced the room. 'Has to be. There are no copies of the medallion anywhere, no pictures. Belloq must have simply improvised the Staff of Ra.'

'I understand how he would have improvised the medallion,' Sallah said, 'but how would he improvise the staff? How would he know the height?'

'He wouldn't,' Indy responded. 'Unless there's some hieroglyphs in the map room that tell him how tall it was.'

The door opened and Nick Balinger walked in. Indy smiled wryly. He then picked up a date.

'You coming in the front door, Nick?' he asked. 'What's the occasion?'

'Guess I know I'd probably get smashed over the head if I came in any other way,' Nick answered. 'The only measurements for the Staff of Ra are on the medallion. In the map room, though, there's a red herring.'

'I beg your pardon?' Sallah asked.

'It's a European expression,' Indy explained. '"Red herring" is a term used by detectives. It usually means a misleading clue.' He looked at Nick. 'Belloq fell for that?'

'Yeah.' Nick looked at his watch. 'I could only drop in to say that. I've got a job to do, if you'll excuse me, and I ain't allowed to interfere any further.'

Indy nodded and Nick turned and walked out.

'Who was that?' Sallah asked.

'Nick Balinger,' Indy answered. 'He's an old friend of mine.'

'Here, here!' the old man suddenly called. 'I show you!'

Indy and Sallah both walked over and crouched on either side of him.

'This is a warning not to disturb the Ark of the Covenant,' he said.

'What about the measurements for the staff?' Indy asked.

'Yes, it is here,' the old man said. 'This is the old way. Say the Staff is 12 kadam high.'

'About 72 inches,' Sallah surmised.

'Wait.' The old man flipped it over to check the other side. 'Take back one kadam to honour the God whose Ark this is.'

XXX

Indy saw the red herring when he went to the map room the next morning. There was an image of the Staff and the measurements – the wrong measurements. Belloq's staff had been too long. It was an obvious red herring too; it was in plain sight. That was always the sort of thing that Indy would be suspicious of: the obvious. _Clearly Belloq doesn't do much field work. _Then Indy had to hide out and that empty tent looked good.


	7. Still alive

**Chapter 7: Still alive**

Marion knew Indy would come for her. And she also knew he thought she was dead so it was little surprise that his reaction to seeing her was to freeze, then launch himself forward and grab her. She'd seen his confrontation with Belloq before it'd happened and she was more than grateful to Sallah and the children for not letting Indy get himself killed. She knew he'd gotten the message by now.

'I thought you were dead,' he told her. 'They must've switched the baskets. Are you hurt?'

She shook her head as he pulled the gag out. Indy kissed her passionately. She practically felt all the fear and the self-loathing seep out of him as she returned the kiss, letting him know that she was really still here without saying anything. It was clear that the idea of her dead had scared the hell out of Indy. She gasped when he pulled away. Then he went for the ropes binding her.

'Wait, Indy,' she told him. 'Stop.'

He did. Pulling back, only to look at her in confusion. He would expect her to want to get out of here as soon as she possibly could. But she'd had time to think of this and she'd been sifting through the future – an advantage of having a psychic channel open in your brain, she guessed. They'd come back before he could get the Ark away from here. If she was gone, they'd know he was here.

'They keep coming here and asking about you,' she explained to him. 'They'll be back soon.'

That was it. He smiled gently and stroked her face. She knew he'd figured it out too. And that wasn't all he'd figured out.

'How long have you been able to see the future?' he asked.

She pressed her lips together. 'Since a few months after Abner sent you away. Nick sent Penny to explain it to me. She said they weren't allowed to tell you.'

'What caused it?' he asked.

'Penny called it an emotional burst,' Marion explained. 'She said that level of pain either results in an emotional burst or a self-destructive path.' She gave him a look, letting him know she knew which one he'd taken. He clearly didn't understand the look properly so she clarified. 'Seems we took both paths.'

Comprehension flickered over his eyes. Indy averted his eyes, shame-faced. Then he looked up at her again and tucked her hair behind her ear. She looked up at him. She wanted an explanation for the way he had drank himself to sleep every night. Apparently he could understand that just fine.

'I'm sorry, sweetheart,' he told her. 'It was the only thing I could think to do. I missed you and I didn't want to leave you, so everything hurt too much. It was the only thing that would make the world shut up.'

'Like I said before: you decide to take off again, you take me with you.' She glanced down at the rope binding her. 'Except for now.'

'How long have we got?' Indy asked.

'Probably half an hour at most,' Marion answered. 'Belloq likes me so he'll try to coax the information out of me. Next time you see me, I'll probably be wearing a new dress.'

'Belloq probably just likes the look of you,' Indy muttered irritably.

Marion smiled. _He's so cute when he's jealous._ 'Oh, he does. No need to get green around the edges, Jones. I'm not going to fall for the Frenchman's twaddle.'

Indy smiled tightly. 'The Frenchman I'm not worried about,' he lied. 'It's the Nazis I'm worried about.'

'So am I.' Marion involuntarily shuddered as she remembered what she'd seen in the vision.

'Marion?' He cupped her chin and turned her face up so she had to look at him, not that she was really complaining about the view. 'What's wrong?'

'Nothing.' Marion shook her head. 'Just…'

'You saw them?' he asked.

'First vision you ever saw me have.' Marion averted her eyes again. 'They're all monsters, Indy.'

Indy rested his forehead against hers. She closed her eyes.

'You don't have to stay here, baby,' he told her. 'I can bring you with me. Get you somewhere safe and then come back for the Ark.'

'You don't get the Ark now, you won't get it later,' she told him. 'You know that.'

'Why do you go getting yourself in trouble if you know it's coming?' he asked softly.

'Why do you go on suicide missions?' she countered, her voice barely above a whisper.

He pulled back and looked her right in the eye. The answer was the same: _because I feel like I have to_. She hadn't realised she'd started to cry until Indy gently brushed the tears away with his thumbs. Then he leaned in again.

'You don't have to be so strong all the time, you know,' he told her.

'Neither do you,' she murmured.

He leaned in and kissed her again. This time, he was much more gentle and loving, pouring his emotions, instead of his desperation, into the kiss. She knew he didn't want to leave her but he had to. When he broke the kiss, he reluctantly took up the gag and tied it up again. She bent her head, allowing him an easier time of it. When she looked up at him, she saw his reluctance. He brushed her hair back.

'I'll come back for you,' he promised.

Then he kissed her forehead and he was gone. Marion sat back and waited.


	8. The Well of Souls

**Chapter 8: The Well of Souls**

Indiana Jones looked through the periscope. He checked his calculations again. Where Belloq thought it was to where it really was and then leaned on the periscope. He nodded to himself.

'That's it.'

XXX

Sallah had gotten a group of other diggers to come and help. Every one of these men wanted the Nazis out of Cairo as soon as possible, but they didn't want them to have the Ark. In their minds: if the only way to ensue that was to dig it up and hand it to an American, then so be it. That was what they were willing to do.

XXX

Indy stood up and pulled his hat onto his head. He looked around. This would take a while. He just hoped that they'd be able to do it before the sun came up again. His thoughts drifted to Marion as he overlooked the work (he was an archaeologist, not a digger). He knew Belloq had an interest in her, mainly because she'd told him. He really could have done without that piece of information. But he also knew that Marion could take care of herself. She was a strong girl. That was only one of the reasons he loved her. And, yes, he'd admit that, if only to himself.

XXX

Belloq walked into the tent and nudged the girl awake. She woke up. Clearly a feisty one. Belloq had never seen anyone like her. He assumed that the uniqueness of her was what had attracted Jones to her. He liked things that were unique. A woman would be the jackpot to him. Belloq gestured that she should be untied and ungagged. Once she was free, she rubbed her wrists.

'Is this how you treat a person?' she demanded. 'Tie them up for hours? No food? No water?'

'I'm sorry for the way the Germans have treated you,' Belloq told her.

She looked out the tent.

'If you attempt to escape on foot, the desert is three weeks in every direction,' Belloq told her, waving to the food. 'Please, have some food.'

She reluctantly came over and started biting into the food. She was clearly starving, of course. The Germans hadn't seen the need to feed her. They were idiots to think that brutality was the only way they were going to get answers out of people. People like this young lady never responded well to pain. The more you hurt them, the more they clammed up. Jones was also that type of person. Belloq pulled out the dress he'd gotten for her. She looked at it speculatively. She seemed to be thinking about it and then she said, 'It's beautiful.'

'I would very much like to see you in it,' Belloq told her.

She barked out a laugh. 'I bet you would!' She paused, then snatched it. 'Well, all right. Turn your back.'

Belloq turned his back but got a mirror so he could watch her dress. The only problem was she seemed to count on it and ducked behind a hanging carpet. As she changed she started talking. This wasn't the first time she'd been questioned about Jones.

'Well, I've got no loyalty to Jones,' she said. 'He's brought me nothing but trouble.'

She stepped out, in the dress, and Belloq turned around.

'I'm afraid I don't quite believe you,' Belloq told her. 'You see, I've known Jones for a very long time. I know where he got his education so I know about his affair with you ten years ago.'

'Yeah, well, I was a kid then.' Miss Ravenwood didn't miss a beat. 'That affair ruined my life. I reiterate: Jones has brought me nothing but trouble.'

Belloq accepted that point. An affair between a seventeen-year-old girl and a twenty-seven-year-old man was not an attractive matter. And Professor Ravenwood had kept his daughter very close after the incident. It would have ruined the best years of her life, at least. But that didn't mean she wouldn't still care enough about Jones not to cover for him. In fact, she should have a soft spot for him that would make her _want _to protect him and cover his tracks.

XXX

'Indy, we've hit stone!' Sallah suddenly called.

Indy turned around and came down to look. _Yes! _They'd found the entrance to the Well of Souls. Carefully they all lifted it, warnings of caution were called out. Finally Indy, Sallah and a few other diggers were able to look inside. Lightning flashed behind them, revealing a giant Anibus face. Sallah yelled out in shock. Indy gave him a dry look.

'Sorry, Indy,' Sallah apologised. Then they looked down again. 'Indy, why does the floor move?'

_Good question. _Indy looked around. There seemed to be something on the floor. He reached across.

'Give me your torch,' Indy told him.

Sallah handed him the torch. Indy dropped it into the well and watched as he identified the creatures moving all over the floor. Rats, he could've taken. Bugs, he could have taken. Even lizards, he could've taken. But it was _that_. Indy lay back on his arm.

'Snakes,' he muttered. 'Why did it have to be snakes?'

Sallah looked down.

'Asps. Very dangerous.' He gave Indy's arm a reassuring squeeze. 'You go first.'

Indy looked up at him. _You know I'm ophidiophobic. _Nethertheless, Indy knew he couldn't let his phobia stop him. He'd just have to go down.


	9. Ark of the Covenant

**Chapter 9: Ark of the Covenant**

Anybody who knew Indiana Jones also knew he did not like snakes. He was actually deathly afraid of them. A lot of his friends actually ribbed him about it.

He wasn't afraid of anything, not even death, until he was faced with a legless, fork-tongued, slithering serpent. Then he nearly fled for the hills. Being lowered into a tomb that was crawling with hundreds of thousands of snakes was one of Indy's worst nightmares.

Then they dropped the rope and Indy fell the rest of the way down. He landed face-to-face with one of the snakes. Fearfully, he slowly drew away from it. Now he just had to focus on getting through this mess and to the Ark.

XXX

'Just like Americans,' Toht scoffed. 'Getting dressed up for the wrong occasions.'

'Well, don't blame me,' Ravenwood huffed, examining her nails. 'The Frenchman pulled it out.'

She wasn't scared. Not like last time. He knew Americans were stupid, but he hadn't thought they were that stupid. Surely, she would know what he was going to do with her. She'd been scared last time.

A theory occurred to Toht. Why wasn't she scared? Maybe because Jones had discovered she was still alive and only left her here to avoid suspicion. Maybe he had someone posted nearby to keep her safe and she knew it. Toht barked out an order in German for someone to check the perimeter. What was reported back was very interesting.

They wouldn't need the girl after all.

XXX

Indy and Sallah lifted the lid off the casket. Indy could barely believe what he was seeing. It was as beautiful as Abner had imagined it to be. Sallah reached out to touch it but Indy stopped him.

'Don't,' he warned. 'Abner found reports of people dying simply by touching the Ark. It's one of its traps.'

Sallah quickly drew his hand back. Indy had told him about Abner's obsession with the Ark and he knew that Indy knew what he was talking about. Sallah handed Indy one of the poles that they'd brought with them.

He'd asked Indy why they needed the poles. Indy hadn't really heard him then, too busy thinking Marion was dead, so he hadn't answered. Sallah had seen where his mind was and let him be. Sallah had his answer now. They needed the poles to safely lift the Ark.

Indy slid a pole in one side and Sallah slid the other pole in the other side. They both worked slowly, careful not to touch the Ark. Once they had one end of each of the wooden poles, they bent their knees, got the poles over their shoulders and lifted the "ancient crate", as Marion would call it. It wasn't as heavy as either of them had imagined it would be, even if it was still a bit weighty. Indy was relieved. The sooner they got this thing out of here, the sooner he could get Marion back. As Indy and Sallah made their way back, the snakes moved for them, fearful of the Ark.

'_The old fool's on a death crusade,' _Nick used to say of Abner. _'If he paid attention to the animals, he'd know that. Obsessed crackpot.'_

And, coming from Nick, that meant a lot more than it did coming from anyone else.

They had to hoist it up again, Sallah going with it. Once it was up, Indy wasn't expecting the rope to fall down like it did.

'Sallah!' Indy called.

He was surprised and unimpressed when Belloq looked down.

'Why, Dr. Jones!' he called. 'Whatever are you doing in such a terrible place?'


	10. Buried alive

**Chapter 10: Buried alive**

Dr. Jones didn't miss a beat. Belloq had to hand it to him. He really did improvise quite well.

'Why don't you come down here and find out?' he suggested wryly.

'Another time.' Belloq smirked. 'Who knows? Maybe even a thousand years, even you will become worth something.'

Jones forced laughter and then muttered, 'Son of a bitch.' The fact that it was said in the well was why it was heard.

Belloq looked up as he heard loud protestations. The Ravenwood woman was being dragged along. Belloq realised they were going to throw her in with Jones.

'Hey, that woman is mine!' he protested.

'She is of no use to the Führer,' Dietrich responded, gesturing.

The girl was thrown in.

XXX

Indy saw Marion falling and dropped the flame torch in his hand, lurching out to catch her. She wasn't heavy at all but the distance she fell and the force of the impact knocked him onto his butt when she landed in his arms. Her arms went around his neck and he stood up, pulling her to her feet as he did so and keeping her close.

'What am I going to do with you?' he muttered as her hands slid down and gripped his jacket.

'Love me?' she suggested.

They both looked up as whatever Dietrich was saying to Belloq went quiet. Belloq went to the edge and said, 'It was not to be, _Cherie_.'

'You bet your life it wasn't,' Marion muttered under her breath.

'Indiana Jones,' Belloq continued, unable to hear what Marion just said. '_Adieu_.'

The entrance was closed over again and Marion laid her head on his chest and closed her eyes. Indy wrapped his arms fully around her and rested his chin on her head. He felt slight movement about where her eyes should be.

'Honey?' he asked.

She lifted her head and looked across the chamber. 'The wall.'

He followed her gaze. There were snakes coming out of the holes in the wall. That meant there was something behind there. The question was: how did they get in there? Indy knew the statue behind them was the best bet. He looked down at Marion. As she'd predicted, she had a new dress. Indy begrudgingly admired Belloq's choice. It was very beautiful and Marion wore it well, but then again she wore everything well. He crouched down and grabbed the skirt.

'I hate to ruin your pretty dress,' he told her as he tore more of the skirt away than was socially acceptable by their western standards, 'but it's just a bit impractical for the climbing you're going to be doing.'

'You just better buy me a new one sometime,' she responded. 'Maybe not so white?'

'Consider it done,' he said as he stood up. He grinned at her. 'Jesus Christ, sweetheart, you're costing me a fortune.'

He was finding it advantageous that he didn't have to explain to her what he was doing. She already knew, being psychic and everything. She just pecked him on the lips before he went up.

'You better come down alive, buster.'

'Do my best.'

XXX

One thing that came from a father obsessed with a relic that was undiscovered but somewhere in Egypt was that Marion knew species of snakes, which were venomous and which weren't. She was surrounded by snakes that, if they bit her, would kill her within thirty minutes. The torches were the only things keeping them away and they were going out.

'Indy?' she called.

She heard a loud creaking and the next thing she knew she had to climb over the statue. She'd already lost one shoe. She threw the other one away. She didn't need it anyway. The place was full of corpses and snakes.

'Indy?' she called again, carefully making her way to the head of the statue where Indy had been. 'Indy, are you still alive?'

'Yeah.' He appeared around the side of the fallen statue. 'You all right, honey?'

'You scared me half to death,' she told him, walking to him faster. 'Don't ever do that again.'

He took her hand and leaned in, kissing her cheek. 'Yes, dear.' He chuckled. 'Now, come on. I found the way out.'

Marion followed him to the head of the statue and around it. They came to some old blocks. Up ahead, there was light coming out. Indy pointed to it.

'See?' he asked. 'Sunlight.'

He went up after it and Marion followed. Indy pushed the block out of the way first and then stuck his head out, checking that the coast was clear. Marion assumed it wasn't because she heard a thud before Indy climbed out. As she followed him, she saw the unconscious Arab near their improvised exit. Clearly Indy had stuck his head out at a bad time and had dealt with the Arab in the way he was used to.

'There.' Indy pointed.

Marion saw a plane. The Nazis were getting her ready for take-off. Marion knew what

that meant: they would be flying the Ark out on the plane. Indy led her down there, where it'd be easier to get to. Marion had the distinct impression that Indy was making this all up as he went along.


	11. The plane

**Chapter 11: The plane**

'Marion?' Indy asked.

She had always known that Indiana Jones was never one to look a gift horse in the mouth. If he had someone with precognition, they'd be the first person he'd ask for help, no matter who it was…almost. She knew, in future, he would have a reluctance to ask her for help because he'd be worried about her. Now, she was here and he needed the information. He had no choice.

'They want to fly it out to Berlin,' she said. 'But first Belloq's going to try to get it to an island south of France.'

'To open it,' Indy muttered. 'Right, by the time the Ark's on that plane, we'll already be on it. Now, Marion, I want you to promise me that you won't go and do anything too reckless just because you see yourself doing it in a vision or you think you need to do it.'

'That's not the only reason I do the stuff, Indy,' she told him, cupping his cheek and rubbing her thumb over his cheek.

He gave her a look that made her want to melt as he turned his head and kissed her palm.

'Especially not for that reason,' he told her. 'I can take care of myself.'

'That's debatable,' she retorted. 'I won't promise anything, because I'll just end up breaking it in the end.'

'Can you at least promise me you'll be careful?' he asked.

She smiled. 'That, I can do.' She leaned in and quickly kissed him, allowing him to kiss her back.

XXX

_Crap! Crap! Crap! _Indy thought as he tried to fight the burly mechanic. Marion had gotten stuck in the cockpit of the plane and he had to get to her. She had been careful, but she hadn't stayed out of it. The problem was, no one could have guessed on the fuel and the fire.

He grunted as his back hit the ground and he looked up. The thing was, he would've been dead if not for that propeller. Indy gaped for a second when he saw it coming and the German turned around, only to get sliced up like a Christmas turkey.

Indy scrambled away and jumped up on the plane. _Damn it! _Marion looked terrified. He yanked at the hatch. It wouldn't budge.

'Pull the handle!' he called to her.

Then he realised that she couldn't. It was jammed. He pulled out his gun. He was _not _going to lose her for real. He pulled the trigger and shot the lock loose. Without a word, he yanked the hatch open and pulled her out. They ran off the plane and then away from it moments before the damned thing exploded, taking the entire area and every structure surrounding it with it.

XXX

The confusion the explosion created allowed them to run into an empty tent. Marion found a canteen of water and a rag as Indy sat down to rest. She wetted the rag and came over to him. He looked up and took the rag from her.

'You all right?' she asked.

'As all right as I could be,' he answered. 'What about you?'

'I'm still alive,' she responded.

He smiled as he wiped the blood off his face. 'Come here.' He sat back.

She smiled and sat in his lap. She tipped his hat back so she could look in his eyes.

'Sweetheart, I don't like you being in these situations,' he told her. 'You could get killed.'

'So could you,' she told him, dropping her head onto his shoulder. 'Is this what you've been doing for the last ten years?'

'Yes,' he breathed. 'Honestly, I'm sorry, honey, but I don't think I could go without it. It's too deeply rooted in me now.'

'I won't try and stop you,' she said. 'But I wish you wouldn't. I worry about you.'

'That's exactly why I don't want you getting mixed up in this, Marion,' he told her softly. 'I worry about you too.'

She looked up at him. 'What are we going to do once we get to America?'

'You don't know?' he challenged.

'You want me to live with you?' she asked.

'Well, I've missed you, Marion,' he told her. 'I don't want to spend any longer than necessary away from you.'

'Isn't it illegal?' she asked. 'Or did they legalise unmarried or unrelated men and women living under the same roof in the last decade?'

'To a point,' he told her. 'They inspect regularly and if there are at least two bedrooms, both in use, it's okay. It does tend to send the rumour mill out of control, though, so if you don't mind gossiping and scrutinising stares…?' He let the question hang.

'All right.' She kissed him again.

She stood up as they saw Sallah and Indy whistled. The Arab ran in.

'Oh, my friends!' he exclaimed. 'I'm so pleased to see you're alive! Indy, listen. If you still want the Ark, it's being loaded on a truck for Cairo.'

'Truck?' Indy threw down the rag. 'What truck?'


	12. Road chase

**Chapter 12: Road chase**

Indy watched the Ark be loaded onto the truck. He made a decision and looked over at Marion. If she could see what he was going to say before he said it, it would certainly save time.

'You know what I'm going to ask you to do?' he asked.

Marion nodded, looking worried. 'Meet you at Omar's. Get transport to England. Boat, plane, anything.'

'Took the words right out of my mouth,' Indy agreed. 'I'm going after that truck.'

'What are you going to do?' Sallah asked.

'Oh, I don't know,' he responded. 'I'm making this up as I go.'

He slid off the dirt pile and ran around. He'd seen some horses around here. They'd be perfect for going after that truck. He had absolutely no doubt that Marion would be watching his every move.

XXX

Marion climbed into the pick-up next to Sallah. They'd watched Indy ride off on that horse. It was so typical of him to do something reckless like that.

Sallah didn't say anything. He seemed to understand that she didn't want to talk. She turned her head away, pretending to look out the window as she sifted through the future, watching what Indy did a moment before he did it.

Sallah was an Arab. She didn't know how he'd respond to a woman with precognition and she wasn't game to find out, even if he was Indy's friend and sweet to her. She'd heard the stories of Arabian people being stoned to death just because they were a little bit different.

_He rode the horse down the hill and came up alongside the truck that contained the Ark. With all the confidence and stupidity that it took, Indy jumped from the horse to the truck._

_He climbed along the side of the truck until he got to the cabin. Then he yanked the door open and yanked one of the Germans out. Without giving the other one any time to figure out what was going on, he swung forward and punched him, grabbing the steering wheel._

_Both of them tried to push each other out of the cabin. Indy only succeeded because they nearly ran the truck off the road. It would have killed them all. But it did create the perfect distraction so the Nazi dropped his guard and Indy was able to shove him out of the cabin._

XXX

Indy slammed the cabin door shut.

Now all he had to worry about were the Nazis in the back with the Ark, the Nazis behind him and Belloq and the head Nazis in front of him. Belloq was the first to notice. He turned around first, at least. If he could see his face, Indy would have shot him a big, smug grin. Unfortunately, they were too far away so Indy checked the rear-vision mirrors.

A motorbike and sidecar were trying to come up beside him but they had a slight problem. Indy yanked the wheel to the side, swerving the truck and knocking the motorbike into the pond, with its sidecar.

Then Indy had to deal with the next problem: the car coming up behind him from the other side. This time, when he knocked the vehicle off the road, it was on a cliff's edge. The car and all the Germans in it went flying to their deaths.

There were probably six Nazis in the truck he'd commandeered. He glanced in both rear-vision mirrors. _Yup. _They were climbing along either side of the truck.

Indy swerved first to the left and then to the right. It was strange how whenever he did this, the road always seemed convenient for him. Thick bushes lined the road and that was all it took to wipe them off the truck. It seemed like now all he had to do was run the head car off the road.

XXX

Belloq watched as Jones flew out the front windscreen. He managed to hang onto the hood but if he was crushed between the two remaining vehicles, he would die. They gestured for the driver to come forward. The driver quickly obeyed but Jones saw what they were doing. Belloq began to fear as he went under the truck.

It was too much to hope that Jones would die down there. His lucky streak was far too good for that particular alternative. Sure enough, a few minutes later he was back up and climbing up along the side of the truck. Belloq and Dietrich gestured frantically, trying to tell the driver where Jones was. When he finally looked, Jones swung down and kicked him in the face. Then Jones shoved him out of the way, grabbed the steering wheel, rammed his head into the driving console a few times before throwing him out of the truck.

The driver tried to grab onto the hood but he lost his grip and Jones ran him over. The damn American then drove faster. Gobler tried to get in their car his way to stop him but Jones just ran them off the road. They went right into a ditch and Jones drove away, far enough from them to just be a blip when Belloq stood up to look.

_That damn American!_

XXX

Indy glanced back and he spotted Belloq whacking one of the Nazis over the head. It was done now. He could get back to Marion. Indy winced and grabbed his arm as his wound stung. Marion would know all about this. She would have seen it happen. He wasn't going to worm his way out of this one.

As he pulled into Omar's, his tracks were covered up. He just about fell out of the truck and Marion was immediately at his side. Indy slid an arm around her shoulders.

'One day, Jones,' Marion remarked, 'you are going to make me a nervous wreak.'

'Nah,' he breathed. 'You wouldn't let me.'


	13. Bantu Wind

**Chapter 13: Bantu Wind**

'Indy, everything is ready,' Sallah announced, coming over to them. 'The Ark is on board. You can depart at any time.' He laughed. 'Or what is left of you.'

'You trust these guys?' Indy asked.

'Yes.' Sallah turned and called the captain. 'Mr. Katanga.'

XXX

Indy looked up as Marion came in, whistling. 'Where did you go?' he asked.

'I've been cleaning up,' Marion answered, pulling off the blanket around her shoulders and throwing it aside.

Indy was stunned to see the silk nightgown she was wearing. It was beautiful. _Look even better off. _He smiled slowly to himself as that thought crossed his mind.

'Where did you get that?' he asked.

'From him.'

It could've been his imagination, but it seemed like she was _trying_ to make him jealous. He was reasonably sure she was too.

'Who him?' he asked.

'Katanga,' Marion answered. 'I got the feeling I'm not the first woman to travel with these pirates.'

'It's lovely,' he told her.

'Really?' She went to look in the mirror.

XXX

'You're not the man I knew ten years ago.' Marion told him.

'It's not the years, honey,' he told her, 'it's the mileage.'

Marion smiled lightly and tried to clean some of the wounds on his chest, but he protested, pulling her hand away. She realised that this would go better if he was laying down. She grabbed his leg to pull him into a laying position but he protested, 'Marion, I don't need a nurse.'

'Yeah, you do,' she rebutted, grabbing both legs and pulling them onto the bed.

'Marion, please,' he protested again, lying back. 'I just want to sleep.'

He cried out in pain when she tried to clean his chest again. 'Yes.' He glared up at her. 'That hurts too.'

'Well, goddamnit, Indy!' she snapped, getting frustrated. 'Where doesn't it hurt?'

He looked around, apparently just as frustrated. Then he pointed to his elbow. 'Here!'

She leaned in and kissed it. The look on his face was very satisfying. _Didn't see that coming, did you, Jones? _He wasn't going to let it escape him, though, and pointed to his forehead very quickly.

'Here!'

She pulled his hat off, flipping it over her shoulder and leaned in again. She kissed his forehead. When she pulled away, she had to stop to compose herself. She had forgotten what it was like to feel like this and she never wanted to forget again. She opened her eyes and looked down at him. He pointed to the bridge of his nose.

'This isn't so bad,' he told her softly.

She leaned in and kissed there too. When she pulled away this time, he pointed to his lips.

'Here.' His voice was barely above a whisper.

She smiled, teasing him for a moment before she leaned in again and claimed his lips with hers. He returned the kiss and she suddenly felt her head begin to spin. Just as she was about to open her mouth for him, he went slack. She pulled back slightly and watched him smack his lips as he slumped to the bed.

'Jones? Jones!' It figured the guy was so knackered he couldn't even kiss her. She brushed his brown hair back with a disappointed sigh. 'We never seem to get a break, do we?'

A vision flashed before her eyes. _They were tangled up in the sheets, entwined and covered in sweat. She arched her body into his as he kissed any place he could reach and he was inside her…moving…_

'_Oh, Indiana…' She moaned as his hand brushed over her breast._

'_I love you,' he whispered, completely unaware of what he was saying. 'I love you.'_

Marion snapped back to the present and looked up at him.

'Good to know, love,' she muttered, looking forward to when this actually happened.

XXX

Indy woke up aware of Marion's hand playing with his hair. He opened his eyes and looked at her. She smiled lightly.

'Look who's finally awake,' she remarked dryly.

'Oops,' he muttered, realising he'd fallen asleep on her.

'You do have a way with words,' she remarked. 'But you've been a good boy, so I might be inclined to forgive you.'

'Good boy?' he asked. 'I feel like a pet.'

'Well, you did name yourself after your pet,' she pointed out.

'True.' He grinned at her.

She leaned in and kissed him. He returned it, wrapping his arms around her waist. He didn't realise just how far she intended to take this until she slid into a straddling position over him and pressed down on him. His eyes snapped open but only for a moment, because she started moving and he groaned into her mouth.

'Marion…' he gasped as he broke the kiss. 'Are you…?'

'Yes,' she whispered, her breath brushing across his lips. 'You made me wait ten years, Indiana Jones. I'm _not _waiting any longer.'

'Ahh…' he groaned, grabbing the material of her nightgown and yanking it up.

XXX

Marion lifted her head as she heard Indy's gun cock. He was up and dressed.

'What's wrong?' she asked.

'Engines have stopped,' he told her. 'I'm gonna do a check.' He tucked his gun into his waistband. 'I'll be right back.'

She leaned up as he left. She let the vision wash over her and knew what was going on. Quickly getting up, she got dressed. Unfortunately, all she had was the nightgown. This particular scenario she'd like to give a miss, but she couldn't avoid it.

The Nazis had already caught them.

XXX

Katanga looked around. They'd lost the girl but they had to find Dr. Jones.

'Find Dr. Jones,' he told his first mate.

'Yes, sir.' A moment later. 'I found him.'

'Where?'

The first mate pointed. Dr. Jones was climbing onto the U-boat. He was clearly quite determined to get his woman back and bring the Nazis down.


	14. The power of God

**Chapter 14: The power of God**

'Hello!'

Indiana Jones stood on a ridge with a rocket launcher over his shoulder. Marion Ravenwood made a run to try to get to him but was stopped by two Nazis. Belloq stepped forward.

'Dr. Jones, your persistence surprises even me!' he called. 'You're going to give mercenaries a bad name!'

'I'm gonna blow up the Ark, Rene!' Jones announced, his tone deadly serious.

'Dr. Jones!' Dietrich stepped up. 'Surely you don't think you can escape?'

'That all depends on how reasonable we're all willing to be!' Jones called back. 'All I want is the girl!'

Dietrich looked at Belloq. Belloq shook his head. As far as he was concerned, he was keeping that girl. Dietrich returned his gaze to Jones, 'And if we refuse?'

'Then your _Führer _has no prize,' Jones answered.

Belloq grabbed a gun. He knew how Jones's mind worked. He was clearly more attached to the girl than he'd initially thought. But Indiana Jones was still an archaeologist. He still cared enough about history for this to be a bluff.

And a bluff, it was.

XXX

Marion shivered, but not from the chill of the night. She knew what was coming and it terrified her. The humming from the Ark was echoing in her head. The sound of the Hebrew words just made the whole thing worse.

When she felt Indy's hand find hers, she gripped it.

'It'll be okay, sweetheart,' he murmured.

'My head hurts,' she whimpered.

'Close your eyes,' he told her.

She did but she felt a stab in her brain. Reflexively, she opened her eyes.

'That just hurts even more,' she told him.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Indy turn his head.

XXX

Closing her eyes hurt her head even more. That meant it was the sound of the Ark that was hurting her. When your eyes were closed, your hearing seemed to improve. Indy looked at the Ark. Was it especially tuned to psychics or were psychics especially tuned to it?

He didn't know much about psychic powers. He'd never thought he'd need to. Nick had once told him that real psychics were harder to find because they didn't boast about it. He'd said: _'if they do, it's because they're short on cash.'_

Indy watched in amusement when Belloq had the lid lifted, only to find it was full of sand. Dietrich was not impressed and Toht started sniggering to himself. However, they both turned back as the sand started to glow. Indy jumped, as much as was possible, when everything electrical exploded. The humming increased in pitch. Behind him, Marion whimpered as the pain probably increased. The Nazis looked around. Something was beginning to come out of the Ark.

Indy's skin crawled. His blood ran cold and a chill ran down his spine. All of these were signals he was all too familiar with. They meant only one thing. Trouble. _Big trouble. 'The more beautiful something is, I find,' _Nick had once told him, _'the more likely it is to kill you.'_

That was when Indy understood. Marion was shaking against his back like a nervous wreak by now. That was all part of it. The Ark was designed to kill. It was the power of God within and anybody with a religious upbringing knew it was forbidden to lay eyes on the power of God. That was it. Her head hurt because her precognition could tell the power would kill them and it was trying to let her know without showing her because then she would see it. Seeing it meant certain death. Closing her eyes hurt because the Ark made you _want _to look at it.

'Marion!' he whispered to her urgently. 'Marion, I know it hurts, but you _have _to close your eyes!'

'Why?' she groaned.

'Because if we see what's inside the Ark, it'll kill us,' he answered, shutting his own eyes. 'Marion?'

'They're shut.'

XXX

The lid was open. It slowly released its power.

There were numerous humans—victims—here. The silly mortals had opened the chest and now they would pay the price. There were two, restrained, on a ledge. The female had the precognitive channel opened in her brain.

It focused on her but she wisely jammed her eyes shut. She knew precisely what would happen if she saw this. It saw that the souls of the two restrained above were complexly intertwined.

If one faltered, they would both have to go.

XXX

Belloq watched as the white gaseous shapes floated out of the Ark. They seemed to blanket the entire area. It was almost as if they were scoping out the entire area, as if they were sentient and not just messengers. As if they were not just the go-betweens of God and himself. God probably wouldn't have many nice things to say to Belloq, but at least Belloq would have spoken to him.

Slowly, the beings began to take shape, like angels. Belloq gawked as they continued floating around. And then they came closer and one of them turned a sweet, angelic, feminine face to them. Belloq was struck by it. It was definitely an angel. There was no way it couldn't be.

'It's beautiful!' he cried.

And then it morphed into a grotesque skull. The last thing Belloq ever knew was the screaming. And he didn't even know whose it was.

XXX

Indy opened his eyes when it was finally quiet. He pulled his hands forward and the charred remains of the ropes came with them. Indy could see the indentations in his skin where Marion had clutched him, digging her nails in to the flesh in her terror. He turned around. She was still standing there, shivering. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders,

'Marion.'

She turned to face him, realising that it was all over. He stared at her and she stared at them. She was okay and that was all that mattered to him. Marion let out a little cry and launched herself into his arms.


	15. Our happy ending

**Chapter 15: Our happy ending**

**Washington DC, USA**

'You've done your country a great service. We trust the payment was satisfactory?'

'Oh, it was fine,' Indiana Jones said. 'The pay's fine. The circumstances are unacceptable!'

'The Ark is an artifact of great power!' Marcus Brody stressed. 'It has to be researched!'

'And it is,' Musgrove agreed. 'We have top men working on it right now.'

'Who?' Indy asked, leaning forward.

'Top men,' Musgrove repeated lamely.

It was enough to tell both Indy and Marcus that it would just be crated and left in a warehouse somewhere. Indy made a decision then and there. Nick was always philosophising. Once he'd said: _'You can't trust governments. If you have something powerful and you need somewhere to stash it; someone to research it, give it to a bloody immortal.'_

**Loxley, England**

Penny Hood pulled open the door and was slightly surprised to see Nick Balinger standing there. She chuckled and stepped aside. He took the unspoken invitation and walked in.

'You using the front door?' she asked. 'It's 1936. What's the occasion?'

'Just a favour for a friend,' Nick answered.

'Last favour you put me to was ten years ago and for Marion Ravenwood,' Penny mused. 'What's this one?'

'Indiana Jones,' Nick answered. 'He's just found the Ark of the Covenant and, in a manner of speaking, he and Marion saw its power.'

'Hm,' Penny murmured. 'Let me guess. The American government confiscated the Ark and you want me to get it back?'

'Yes,' Nick agreed. 'Imagine that. The power of God in the hands of the American government.'

'Hitler sounds friendlier than that,' Penny remarked. 'I'm on it. Where are they transporting it?'

'To Area 51,' Nick answered as they walked into Penny's map room.

Penny's map room was, naturally, a room that was covered with maps. There were maps of every country on Earth and maps of the Earth. Stashed away in cupboards and pigeon holes, there were old, outdated maps as well.

'I've heard of that,' Penny remarked, leading him over to a map of America. 'Where is it?'

'In Nevada.' Nick grabbed a pin and stuck it in the map. 'Right here.'

**Washington DC, USA**

Marion watched Indy storm out of the government offices. She knew exactly what had happened in there and she knew what Indy had done about it. She caught his arm as he passed her and he stopped. She could tell he was still steaming mad at them despite knowing that he'd already done all he could, sending Nick that silent request.

'Fools!' he spat to himself. 'Damned beaurocratic fools! They don't know what they've got there!'

'Well, I know what I've got here,' Marion told him. 'Come on. I'll buy you a drink.'

He frowned and looked at the ground. Marion reached up and tipped his hat back so he'd look at her.

'You know?' she said. 'A drink.'

He sighed and turned slightly. Then he offered her his arm. She took it again and he led her away.

**Area 51, Nevada**

What made off with the Ark was a helicopter with the sign of infinity painted on the side. No one even needed to question who it was. All governments knew when they had an artifact and it was stolen by people in a vehicle bearing that sign, it was somebody from the immortal population.

They always made off with the interesting stuff.

**Princeton, New Jersey, 1940**

A small boy trotted through the passage of his house. He came into a room where his father was slouched on the sofa, hat tipped over his eyes. The little boy ran over and scrambled up onto his father's lap. His dad scooped him up and tipped the hat back.

'I wanna play with pretty trinket, daddy!' the boy announced.

'Not now, Henry,' his father told him.

'Now, daddy!' Henry insisted.

'You keep going on like that and you won't get to play with it at all,' Indiana Jones told him.

'Daddy!' Henry whined.

'Whining isn't going to change my mind,' Indy told him.

Henry pouted for a moment.

'Daddy! Daddy!' he exclaimed, jumping up and down a bit.

'Hm?' Indy sat up. 'What now, junior?'

'I want a doggy!' Henry announced.

'I can just a see the nickname coming,' Marion remarked, walking behind the sofa.

'Honey, you can see it coming anyway,' Indy told his wife.

'Hm,' she murmured, coming up behind him.

She tipped his head back and kissed him. He smiled against her mouth and sucked her upper lip into his mouth. She giggled against his lips.

'Mommy! Daddy! Yucky!' Henry protested.

Indy and Marion broke the kiss and smiled down at their son.


End file.
